Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The autobiography of a coin

I am now an old coin and have been traveling for many years.I have become dulled and worn, and the Thomas Jeffarson's picture on my face is very faint and the Monticello Jefferson's home on my back almost rubbed out, with the years of hard work i have done.But i can still remember my early youth.If you had seen me then, when I was in the Government Treasury with my bright companions, soon issued from the Treasury you would not have recognized me as the same coin.I was shining silver and Thomas Jefferson and Jefferson's home on my face and back was very beautiful and distinct.I was very proud of my smart appearance.
My active life began when I was paid over the counter of a bank, along with other new dollars, to a gentle man who cashed a cheque.I went off jingling in his pocket, but I was not there long as he gave me to a shop keeper looked pleased when he had me in his hand and said, I have not seen a new coin for some time, and banged me on his counter to see if i was genuine.I gave out such a clear ringing note, that he picked me up and threw me into a drawer with a other coins.I soon found we were a mixed company.I took no notice of the greasy copper coins as i knew they were very low caste; and i was condescending to the small change, that i was five times as valuable as the best of them, one penny peaces and hundred times better than the chucky little coin.But I found a number of coins of my own rank but none of them were as new and bright as i was.Most were old coins, and dull and worn as i am today.
Some of them were jealous of my appearance and made nasty remarks, but one very old coin was kind to me and gave me good advice.He told me I must respect old coins and always keep small change in their place.He gave an advice which summed up with the remarks ' A coin is a coin, however old and worn.
I have no time to tell the hundred past of my adventures.I have lived an active life, and never rested long anywhere.I am glad of this for I should not have liked the fate of a coin to burn the same as i did once, who has been all his life locked up in the strong box of a master.What a dull life he must have had!

4 comments:

had no life earlier. I was a metal. Some more metals like silver, zinc etc., were mixed and made into an alloy. The State mint gave me a shape, a life and a new name. I am a newly born one rupee coin and I joined the heap of my elder brothers minted earlier. Some more younger to me minted later joined me in the heap. All of us were glittering and shining, waiting without knowing our future.One day the Manager of the mint moved us to the weighing machine. Weighing thousands of us at a time we were packed into boxes where we had no air to breathe. We were put into a train going south. After two days we reached Chennai and got deposited in a grand building called the Reserve Bank of India. Here again it was all dark, protected on all sides with armed guards guarding us all the time. We talked to one another, how valuable we were. Boxes before us were going out at the rate of two or three everyday. Then came the turn of our box. The box was lifted and handed over to the cash section. A beautiful place with a lot of light, air and sea breeze. That was the first happy day after our birth. All of us in the box stayed together all these days. But unfortunately the cashier is putting out tens and fives of us and giving to different people.Ninety nine other brothers and I, fell into the hands of a pious merchant living in Georgetown. He took us to the prayer room, placed us before his deity, said his prayers and deposited us in his iron safe. There we found new companions - gold coins, nickel coins, copper coins, paper notes and gold and silver ornaments. It was a grand museum.Another four of us and I were picked up on Deepavali day by our master. He gave me out to a vegetable seller all alone. My brothers were similarly given to others in exchange for other commodities. My new master was a lady. She tied me up in a corner of her sari. She was so pleased with my new shape and brightness. Many of our clan came to her and left. But she never gave me away. In a way I can say that she fell in live with me. She carried me to market, to temple, to cinema, to beach and to all places. I was really enjoying her company seeing new men and new places.One day when my lady boss was sleeping she lost grip over me. I was allowed to roll out of her room to be found by her naughty son. He became my new boss. He played with me hitting me up and down. Everytime when 1 fell down, I cried with pain. My young boss laughed at my cries and repeated his acts. I was praying to God to get me out of his hands. That day came soon when I was exchanged for an ice-cream. The vendor became my new boss, who on his travel to Hyderabad took me with him. I was feeling happy that I was again travelling in a train. But midway another person who wanted change got me. He was a very rich person travelling from place to place on pilgrimage.I was still bright and glittering. So my new master kept me with him for a month. I saw places of pilgrimage like Tirupati, Sirsailam, Bhadrachalam and Simhachalam before I reached Visakhapatnam along with my boss. From there I, along with my boss, (raveled by air to Allahabad where he wanted to have a dip in holy Prayag. I was happy that I was joining him in the holy dip. But alas! There I was left to sink down in the holy 'Sangam' where I still lay buried. I am still lying there unseen, unheard and unused. I will be there as long as Ganga and Jamuna flow.

had no life earlier. I was a metal. Some more metals like silver, zinc etc., were mixed and made into an alloy. The State mint gave me a shape, a life and a new name. I am a newly born one rupee coin and I joined the heap of my elder brothers minted earlier. Some more younger to me minted later joined me in the heap. All of us were glittering and shining, waiting without knowing our future.One day the Manager of the mint moved us to the weighing machine. Weighing thousands of us at a time we were packed into boxes where we had no air to breathe. We were put into a train going south. After two days we reached Chennai and got deposited in a grand building called the Reserve Bank of India. Here again it was all dark, protected on all sides with armed guards guarding us all the time. We talked to one another, how valuable we were. Boxes before us were going out at the rate of two or three everyday. Then came the turn of our box. The box was lifted and handed over to the cash section. A beautiful place with a lot of light, air and sea breeze. That was the first happy day after our birth. All of us in the box stayed together all these days. But unfortunately the cashier is putting out tens and fives of us and giving to different people.Ninety nine other brothers and I, fell into the hands of a pious merchant living in Georgetown. He took us to the prayer room, placed us before his deity, said his prayers and deposited us in his iron safe. There we found new companions - gold coins, nickel coins, copper coins, paper notes and gold and silver ornaments. It was a grand museum.Another four of us and I were picked up on Deepavali day by our master. He gave me out to a vegetable seller all alone. My brothers were similarly given to others in exchange for other commodities. My new master was a lady. She tied me up in a corner of her sari. She was so pleased with my new shape and brightness. Many of our clan came to her and left. But she never gave me away. In a way I can say that she fell in live with me. She carried me to market, to temple, to cinema, to beach and to all places. I was really enjoying her company seeing new men and new places.One day when my lady boss was sleeping she lost grip over me. I was allowed to roll out of her room to be found by her naughty son. He became my new boss. He played with me hitting me up and down. Everytime when 1 fell down, I cried with pain. My young boss laughed at my cries and repeated his acts. I was praying to God to get me out of his hands. That day came soon when I was exchanged for an ice-cream. The vendor became my new boss, who on his travel to Hyderabad took me with him. I was feeling happy that I was again travelling in a train. But midway another person who wanted change got me. He was a very rich person travelling from place to place on pilgrimage.I was still bright and glittering. So my new master kept me with him for a month. I saw places of pilgrimage like Tirupati, Sirsailam, Bhadrachalam and Simhachalam before I reached Visakhapatnam along with my boss. From there I, along with my boss, (raveled by air to Allahabad where he wanted to have a dip in holy Prayag. I was happy that I was joining him in the holy dip. But alas! There I was left to sink down in the holy 'Sangam' where I still lay buried. I am still lying there unseen, unheard and unused. I will be there as long as Ganga and Jamuna flow.

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